Tasty recipes from chef Ronit Penso's kitchen

Marbled Vanilla and Quark Cheese Cake

Cheese cakes are on top of my favorite cakes, but as they take a while to bake and set, and as they are quite heavy and sweet, I end up rarely making them.
Yet, the crave for the wonderful tangy flavor of baked fresh cheese is always there, so I came up with a fairly quick “fix”, in the form of the following cake.

The layer of vanilla cake batter is topped with a light mixture of Quark cheese (see notes), and both are mixed lightly, to create a marbled effect. To make things even more interesting, I scattered some fresh cut fruits on top, which added a nice fresh and colorful layer.
The cake turned out to be so fresh and tasty, with every bite bringing a different mix of the two layers and fruits. It is light and not too sweet, and is just perfect for breakfast or brunch dessert, or as a light snack any time of the day. Try it and enjoy.

Notes:
* Quark cheese is a fresh, low fat white cheese. I used the very creamy Israeli version, which can be found in Kosher stores and in some supermarkets. Other brands can also be found in supermarkets and some even online, though their texture varies. For best results, choose one that is smooth and creamy. If you can’t find it, thick Greek yogurt can be a good substitute. Another option is to mix equal amounts of ricotta cheese with sour cream.
* I find the cake to be sweet enough, but if you prefer a sweeter one, increase the amount of sugar in both layers according to your taste.
* Different fruits can be used, according to taste or season.

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a 12” x 8” (20.5cm x 30cm) pan with baking paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the Quark cheese with the sugar and lemon juice. Add the cornstarch and whisk together to a smooth mixture.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Add oil and white wine and whisk again. Add the sour cream, vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt and mix together.
4. Pour the vanilla batter into the pan and add dollops of the cheese mixture on top. Using a fork, lightly mix the two layers, to create a marbled effect. Scatter the fruits on top and cover with the powdered sugar.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the vanilla cake part comes out clean. Place on a rack and let cool to room temperature before serving.

So perfect for Summer! And quark is perfect for a lighter version of the traditional cheese cake which puts me in a food coma instantly (but I’ll eat it anyway). We have quark cakes here in holland too but not as pretty as yours with all the different fruit on top. And I love the cake layer with the fruity white wine in it. Yum.

Thank you Myra, I’m glad you liked the recipe. It is indeed much lighter than regular cheese cake, which indeed can induce coma very quickly! (I too will eat it anyway!) 😀 Quark cheese cakes are such a tasty alternative to it, especially in the summer. I love adding some white wine to cake batters, it makes the cake more fragrant and light. Highly recommended. 🙂

I agree Rini, some cheesecakes are way too sweet and heavy. As for the Japanese ones, they are indeed lighter, but as they lack the separate baked cheese layer, they’re not the perfect substitute for me… 🙂

Quark cheese is a new dairy product for me as I don’t recall seeing it in a recipe before (or maybe I didn’t notice). Cheesecakes are dangerous around me – I only make them when there are plenty of people to eat it. I could eat it any time of day and it would be hard to stop at one piece! Very interesting recipe…

Thank you Judi, I’m glad you’ve found the recipe interesting. I feel the same about cheese cakes – they are addictive!
Quark cheese is well worth looking for. It’s so fresh and can be used in so many ways. It’s originated in Eastern Europe and is very popular there as well, though texture can vary from country to country. I’m used to the Israeli version, which is very smooth and creamy. In Israel it is used as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise, as a base for dips, for baking savory and sweet dishes… I’m sure you’ll enjoy it once you’ll find it. 🙂

Thank you Franck, glad you liked the recipe, at least a bit! lol 😉
Interesting to learn about the Quark trend in Ireland. For me it’s a daily ingredient that I use in many ways, so I look for it anywhere. 🙂

Thank you Mollie, I’m glad you liked the recipe.
Cream cheese is not the best substitute for Quark cheese, especially in this recipe, as it has a denser texture and much higher fat content. A combination of ricotta and sour cream or Greek yogurt would work much better here.

Thank you Joanne, that’s a great compliment and I’m glad you like my site.
It is important for me that readers will be able to make my recipes easily, so I always try to give alternatives when needed. Glad you find it helpful.
Quark cheese is a wonderful ingredient. Well worth looking for. 🙂

Thank you, I’m glad you liked the cake. The cheese I’ve used here is not cream cheese, but Quark, a lighter type of white cheese. If you can’t get it, you can try to substitute with thick Greek yogurt, or thick sour cream. I hope it will work for you. I’ll be happy to hear your comments. Good luck! 🙂